awards banquet

Every year the Pleasant Grove Chamber of Commerce recognizes the outstanding businesses in our community, as well as select individuals for their community service.

the 2016 annual awards banquet

The 2016 Annual Awards Banquet was held on January 7th. It was hosted by doTERRA International in their new corporate headquarters. Our host was able to feature their new doTERRA luxury spa! Catering was done by 12-time Best of State caterer, Culinary Crafts. We honored and awarded the 2015 Business of the Year and many other finalists and winners.

business of the year

​Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen, Tad Tidwell, Owner

Gandolfo’s has been a lunch time mainstay for many over the years. Never one to be short on delivering a great product, no one leaves Gandolfo’s hungry! An excellent menu, delectable ingredients, generous portions and attentive customer service are the hallmarks of this business.

Tad Tidwell is the owner. He is known for his generosity to the community. He has always been willing to supplement the Chamber’s gift giving with coupons for free sandwiches. The popularity of his business is astounding and the food is incredible! We congratulate Gandolfo’s!

Other Business of the Year Finalists:

Rock Canyon Bank, Represented by Jake Hoyt

Saratoga Jewelry Company, Owners - Emily and Jeremy Olson

business person of the year

​Jennie Johnson, Stone Gate Wedding and Events Center

Jennie Johnson and her husband are the owners of Stone Gate Weddings and Events. Theirs is a unique building, housing a unique business, with a unique mission to “honor the past, enrich the present, and inspire the future. The historic chapel in which their business operates was originally built in the 1890”s, and it stands as a reminder of the rich pioneer heritage of this area.​Jennie was instrumental in founding, planning and facilitating the City’s first Hometown Heroes Celebration this past December. Having grown weary of all the “bad news” in the media about police officers and emergency safety personnel, she proposed the event idea to the mayor who agreed that a celebration of respect needed to happen. For an evening the public was invited to join her at Stone Gate to meet the police, firefighters, and other emergency service employees of the City. The event was a huge success that garnered high praises and appreciation from these special public employees.

Other Business Person of the Year Finalists:

Steve Allred, Ace Hardware

Dennis Nuckles, Big-D Construction

new chamber business of the year

​Culinary Crafts, Owners - Mary, Kaleb and Ryan Crafts

Culinary Crafts was our caterer for the Awards Banquet. They are new to our Chamber this year and have established a new and beautiful facility for catering production and events. Their reputation is huge! They have won Caterer of the year by the International Caterers Association, and the Western Region “Ace’ Award for Achievement in catering Excellence, and 12 times Best of State Award for the State of Utah. But, this is a company that is well grounded. One of their owners says, “We’ve won a lot of awards, but we’re only as good as our last event!” So, what will you say about their service to the Chamber today? Thank you and we are pleased to have you as Members of the Pleasant Grove Chamber of Commerce.

Other New Chamber Business of the Year Finalist:

Espresso Yourself, Owners - Michael and Colleena McMurtrey

mayor's choice award

​TestOut, Owner - Noel Vallejo

Much of Pleasant Grove's Main Street property is owned and occupied by this great company. According to their website, "TestOut is the leader in online labs for academia and IT professionals. With LabSim, students get a broad range of hands-on experience in a safe, simulated environment. Since our founding in 1991, we have helped hundreds of thousands of individuals acquire the skills they need to progress in their education and careers. We want to make a difference in the industry—one customer at a time."TestOut is conscientious about the preservation and development of the historic downtown area and the economic growth of Pleasant Grove City. For this, the Mayor has selected them for this special award.

community service award

​Jason Cowley--Head Coach, Biking VikingsJason is the Pleasant Grove High School's Biking Vikings coach. He has a team that consists of 65 members. ​Jason has been instrumental in promoting healthy recreational activities in Pleasant Grove City and has drawn wide support for the development of a bike park. The city council approved the application for a grant that will help fund the new park. The bike park will include a full race course, dirt trails, and connections to regional trails. Jason is a trail builder and a trail blazer. We recognize him for his passion and contributions to the city and the students at Pleasant Grove High School.

educators of the year

​Lori Bullock, Pleasant Grove Jr. High School

Lori Bullock is a full-time reading teacher at our Junior High and she inspires even the most struggling reader to want to read. She has an amazing ability to motivate students to work at a skill they are not good at and enjoy it. She is all about the students and spends a lot of her own time and funds on activities and prizes to make reading more exciting. ​Lori is also a leader among her colleagues. She is the adviser for the Student Council and volunteered her own time to help with our Hope Squad group last year which is involved in Suicide Prevention. ​She always has a positive attitude and is willing to jump in and help wherever needed and help find a solution.

Wendi Austin, Grovecrest Elementary School

Wendi has worked at Grovecrest for many years now. She is currently on a very productive 4th grade team. She is absolutely engaging in her instruction. Her students perform every year and are ready for the next level. Both parents and students know Wendi will put her heart and soul into her efforts to help each student feel successful. Due to her experience, she understands some hard situations kids can be in. She helps those kids through those situations with love and respect. She is a wonderful communicator. She lives in the neighborhood and is great to pass on the the pulse of the community. ​

Kyle Petersen, Pleasant Grove High School

Kyle has been a Math Teacher at Pleasant Grove High School for the past 10 years. Kyle is well respected by his peers and students. ​We recently received an e-mail from a Parent who wrote:"My daughter is fortunate enough to have K.P. for the second year in a row. She's told me on multiple occasions how dedicated he is to really helping his students understand math concepts without ever making them feel frustrated or embarrassed."